Deadline November 1
These grants are made for the purposes of community tree replacement planting and building local capacity for excellent urban and community forestry.
- This page, Apply for National Grid Partnership Challenge Grant, is offered by
- Department of Conservation & Recreation
Apply for National Grid Partnership Challenge Grant
Contacts
Julie Coop, Urban and Community Forestry Coordinator
The Details
What you need
National Grid Partnership Challenge Grant Application Instructions and Checklist
Please read carefully and submit all of the following items with your final grant application. If you do not submit all of the items, it may reflect poorly on your application or delay a grant award. It is not necessary to submit your application using binders, sheet protectors, report covers, or spiral binding. Applications will be evaluated on the criteria on page 5.
Face Sheet
- Completed National Grid Partnership Challenge Grant Application Face Sheet (The Face Sheet is the last page of this application packet. Project summary must be completed on this form; do not write “see attached.”) Please be sure Face Sheet is typewritten.
- The face sheet must be signed with an original signature by an authorized person.
Narrative (3-5 pages)
¨ Background: Provide a brief background of your community program, including mission and goals for the next several years (1 page maximum.)
- Project Description: Include what you expect to be developed, produced, performed, and/or implemented; how you will achieve your results; and a clear and measurable work plan for the project (2-3 pages.)
- Tree Planting Plan, Heritage Tree Care Plan, and Detailed Locations: If your project involves tree planting and/or “Heritage” tree care, include a section that identifies, both in a list and on a detailed map, specific locations, species, and sizes of trees. Include a maintenance plan for the three years following planting. If your project includes Heritage Trees, please include documentation of the cultural and/or historical significance of the tree(s). Remember these grants may not be used for capital improvements other than strategic tree planting.
- Who: Who will lead the project? Who will be involved? For tree planting and tree care projects, a certified arborist should be involved. Please specifically describe how your project proposal incorporates diverse members of the community in its planning and implementation.
- Sustainability: These grants are not intended to provide ongoing funding. Describe how your project and its results will be maintained and sustained into the future. How will trees be maintained? How will new positions be sustained? How will plans be updated and implemented?
- Evaluation and Accomplishments: Describe how you will evaluate the success of your project. Provide a list of measurable accomplishments and/or final products that will result from completion of the project and which will be submitted with the Accomplishment Report.
Detailed Budget and Project Timeline
- A detailed budget showing the estimated costs, specific use of funds, and sources of matching funds. Please indicate the sources of matching funds and whether they are ‘in-hand’ or pending. Matching funds and volunteer time must be specific to the project and occur within the grant period.
- Please address in this detailed budget attachment:
- What components of the project DCR is requested to fund
- What component of the project matching sources will fund
- Specifically, what the funds will be spent on.
- A project timeline showing anticipated dates of accomplishment of specific project tasks.
- Letters of commitment from key cooperators and supporters that indicate specific contributions to the proposed project.
- Letter of support from the Tree Warden indicating the Tree Warden’s involvement in the project.
How to apply
Mail two copies to:
Julie Coop
DCR Urban and Community Forestry
251 Causeway St., suite 600
Boston, MA 02114
Next steps
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Evaluation and Selection
An Evaluation Committee will score and rank the applications based on their relative strengths. The Committee will make recommendations on applications to the DCR Commissioner and the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs, who will make final determinations.
The criteria for rating proposals include:
- Application is complete, detailed, and clearly presented 5 points
- Proposal will result in sustained improvements in local capacity for excellent urban and community forestry management in one or more of the six areas identified above 25 points
- Project involves diverse members of the community in planning and implementation 5 points
- Budget and timeline are reasonable, accurate, and clearly presented 5 points
- Community is a Tree City USA community 5 points
- Applicant has not been previously funded through an Urban Forestry grant program. 5 points
Funding
Once the grants are awarded, recipients are reimbursed for satisfactory work completed within the contract period. (Projects cannot begin until the contract is signed by the Commissioner of the DCR.) Funds are not provided up front. Final receipts for reimbursement must be submitted along with verification of matching expenses or in-kind services. Completed reimbursement forms shall be submitted to the Department within 60 days of contract completion. Grantees can expect reimbursement within 45 days of receipt submittal.
Contact
Address
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